| Southern giant hummingbird | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Patagona gigas in Chile | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Strisores |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Patagona |
| Species: | P. gigas |
| Binomial name | |
| Patagona gigas (Vieillot, 1824) | |
 | |
Thesouthern giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) is one of two species in the genusPatagona and the second largesthummingbird species, after its close relative thenorthern giant hummingbird.[3]
It and thesympatricnorthern giant hummingbird (P. peruviana) were once considered the same species, i.e., the giant hummingbird, though some researchers have already classified them as different species or subspecies in the past.[4][5] Genomic analysis supports the separation of the two species which shows that they diverged between 2.1 and 3.4 million years ago, in the latePliocene.[3] Williamson and colleagues attributed the binomial namePatagona chaski to the northern giant hummingbird in 2024,[3] but this taxon was already described asPatagona peruviana byAdolphe Boucard in 1893, soP. chaski is a junior synonym ofP. peruviana.[4][5]
Its mass is in the range of 17–31 g (0.60–1.09 oz), making it approximately twice as heavy as the next largest hummingbird.[3] It has a wingspan of 21.5 cm (8.5 in), with a body length of 23 cm (9.1 in).[6]
The two subspecies are visually distinguishable.P. g. peruviana is yellowish brown overall and has white on the chin and throat, whereP. g. gigas is more olive green to brown and lacks white on the chin and throat.[7]
The giant hummingbird is widely distributed throughout the length of the Andes on both the east and west sides.[3][7] Its seasonal migration loop is estimated at 8,300 km (5,200 mi) over the Central Andean Plateau, involving an altitude change of about 4,100 m (13,500 ft) over a three week period.[3]
It typically inhabits the higher altitude scrubland and forests that line the slopes of the Andes during the summer and then retreats to similar, lower altitude habitats in winter months.[8][9]
The species persists through a large altitude range, with specimens retrieved from sea level up to 4,600 m (15,100 ft).[7] They have shown to be fairly resilient to urbanisation and agricultural activities; however, the removal of vegetation limits their distribution in dense city areas and industrial zones.[10] The giant hummingbird migrates in summer to the temperate areas of South America, reaching as low as 44° S. Correspondingly, it migrates north to more tropical climates in winter (March–August), though not usually venturing higher than 28° S.[3][7][11]
P. g. peruviana occurs fromEcuador to the southeastern mountains of Peru andP. g. gigas from northern Bolivia and Chile to Argentina. Contact between these previously accepted subspecies[3] is most likely to occur around the eastern slopes of the north Peruvian Andes.[7]
The giant hummingbird holds significant value for some of the aboriginal inhabitants of the Andes. The people ofChiloé Island believe that if a woman captures a hummingbird then they will gain great fertility from it.[11] This species is a likely inspiration to the people of theNazca culture who created theNazca hummingbird geoglyph.[11]
The range of the giant hummingbird is sizable, estimated at 1,200,000 km2 (460,000 sq mi), with total numbers of about 65,000 estimated in Peru.[3] The species is classified by theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature as being ofLeast Concern.[1]
